Apparatus for separating fibrous and nonfibrous materials in food products



G. G. SCHORER APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FIBROUS AND NONFIBROUS MATERIALS IN FOOD PRODUCTS Filed Aug. 29, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2o, 1923 1,474,566

v attolmwqo f @my 5MM,-

Nov. zo, 1923 1,414,566

G. G. SCHORER APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FI-"BROUS AND NONFIBROUS MATERIALS IN FOOD PRODUCTS Filed Aug. 29. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H I M c Nov. zo, 1923 i 1,474,566

' G. G. SCHORER APPARATUS FOR SEPARATINGFIBROUS AND NONFIBROUS MATERIALS IN FOOD PRODUCTS 4 Filed Aug). 29. 1921 s sheets-sheet 5 n Ggeoreye G.

Patented Nev. 20,1923;

GEORGE G. soHoREn, or N Luise um @fi-iles.

onrH FREEDOM, WISCONSIN. y

APPARATUS vron sErARA-:rrus Frissons AND-NoNrIBnoUs MATERIALSIN VVroon i PRODUCTS,

Application mea August 29, 1921. serial No. 496,761'.

To all @1J/tom timmy concern."

VvBe it known that I, GEORGE G. SCHORER, citizen of the United States, residing at North Freedom, county of Sauk, and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating F ibrous Yand Noniibrous Materials in Food Products, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of sepa-V V rating fiber-like inedible particles from the edible portions of food grains lor the like. It more particularly Vappertains to Vseparating and removing the silk, husks and fibrous shell particles from a mass of Indian corn or like food grains.

An object of the invention is to separate inedible fibrous particles of the kind described from ycooked Indian corn or the likeafter the cooking'` process has been completed and during'the continuous treatment of the corn to prepare it for packaging ready for consumption.

A further object is to remove the said inedible particles instantaneously from a flowing streamy ot corn or the-like and discharge said inedible particles away from they course ofmovement of the edible portions.

particles from a flowing stream 'of corn or like. gramm-removing said inedible particles-latcrally from the stream by mechanical separating devices and civantmuously plurality ofy arms, means for moving themV ltransversely through and across ythe stream ofI flowing material, and means for removing from said arms, outside or the stream of material, the matter caught yon .said arms. y It further. consists in the process of separating the fibrous 'inedibleparticles from the edible .portionsl of corn vor the like andin the VVcombina-tion of'` parts and details of structure, more fully described hereinafter, illustrated lin thef accompanying drawings i and defined in theappended claims) A further object is to separate the inedibleV In the drawings which like reiv'erenceVV characters indicate like severalviews:

Figure l is afperspective view of my improved separatingand cleaning mechanism shown in its operative position with respect to a qwing stream of material ,to I be separated;

parts throughout the Figure 2 is a sectional view-taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detaill partly in section of -1neans for clearing the separating arms ot materials clinging to them;

Figure ais a perspective view of one of the clearing elements; Figure 5 is a perspective of one set of separating arms and the hub to which they` machine. The grains of cornv thus severed from the cob usually have clinging to them Y or mixedr with them particles of corn silk-or husks which it' has been diilicultjtoY removel in the husking operation. In order that the 1 corn may be brought to'a wholesome and Althoughnmachi'nes Vhave been hitherto proposed for this purpose, these machines have not been satisfactory,y within my experieiice'i,`

because they have been associatedin use with operations collateral to the normal process of treatingand preparing the corn as food whichhas caused increased expense and loss of valuable time as well as deterioration oftheresulting food products.Y For example, it hasbeen proposed to separate the inedible particles fromthe edible portions of corn prior to vthe cookingprocess. The separating operation has sometimesbeen attempted on raw corn; ybut this has proven l 105 unsatisfactory not only because of the loss of time but-alsobecause the inedible 'par-l ticles are, not then in the bestA conditionto enable' them4 to be thoroughly separated palatable condition it is oit course desirable toremove all of the inedible particles of silk,y husks and the like `from the Vedible'portions.l

mechanically from the edible portions:V lt

has also been'proposed toy apply a preliminary steaming or partial cooking process to the raw corn and then to separate the silk and the like from the steamed or partially cooked product. flach of these processes results in unnecessary consumption ofrtime. Also When corn or the like is steamed orY inoving silk and the like from the grains.

of corn, has either not been kept continually clean, or has been so difficult to clgean that particles remain adhering to the separating elements Which are likely to ferment, or

putrify, thereby effecting deterioration ofi the food products.

This improved process is applied to a stream of flowing grains of Indian corn or ihe like moving from the cooker to the packaging or filling' apparatus during the usual or normal practice of preparing and packaging ther cernA No time is lost, thereH fore, in the treatment of the grains or similar material, by reason ofthe cleaning or separting operations. my process and apparatus for practicing it,V the separating elements are kept contin' ually cleaned, each one having all the mate:H rial that clings to it wiped therefrom after it has moved from the stream of material and before it reenters it. rlfhe incdible particles drop `away from the separating elements out of the course of the portions designed for food and they cannot find their Way back into the stream of edible material moving toward the ii ling position. the natural flavor and structure of the properly cooked food grain is .retainedy no preheating or' other devi taliziiig process having` been applied to it.. rl`he delays and expense due to prelieating and preclcaning are wholly eliminated and the danger of introducing soured oi' putriiied matter into the edible mass by reason of delayed or inadequate cleaning is avoided.

Referring now tothe accompanying drawings, in Vwhich one embodiment of means for practicing my improved process is illustrated:

The letter A represents a spout or hopper through Which grains of indian corn or the like ai'e discharged from a cooker A and fall in a stream into any suitable receptacle or collecting mechanism l used in conjunction ivith a filling or packaging mechanism (not shown). C is any suitable frame construction adapted to support a mechanisui for sep silk or other fibrous material from the grain dropping" freniE thev By this process hopper A. The said frame C may be of general oblong, rectangular outline, as indicated in Figure i', between the ends of Which is mounted shaft D. In the form shown said frame is provided With two' lateral bosses C in which said shaft D is journaled. Said shaft D may project at one end beyondthe upper boss C and may have loosely mounted on ita Wheel H, shown as a sprocket Wheel, adapted to be driven by a sprocket chain from any suitable drive shaft. J represents 'a ratchet or one Way clutch composed of tivo ratchet faced members one of'xvhich may be hired to the shaft D and the other of which is sleeved to rotate on said shaftand keyed to the gear Wheel whereby said shaft is slidably lockedv to the gear Wheel H Ain any suitable manner as by rigid i'ods lf'l affixed to the clutch member and passing` through the gear Wheel. spring l disposed between the slida-ble member of said clutch and the hub of the gear Wheel H permits the slidable section of theclutch to interlock gear is rotated in one direction and slip up and down upon the shaft should the gear H be driven in the reverse direction. Any suitable ratchet drive may be adopted, however.

Sleeved ovei' the shaft D is a plurality of flanged hubs L connected with the shaft D so as to rotate therewith. ln the construction shown that portion of the shaft D Which lies between the upper and lower membersv of the frame l' is squared and the openings through said hubs are correspondingly squared so that the hubs are compelled to rotate with said shaft. a set or plurality of slender separating arms E, each preferably made of wire sufficiently stiff for the purpose. Said slender arms E of cach set are preferably spaced equally around the hub L and ai'e preferably curved*Y with Vtheir convex sides facing' the direction in which they are rotated during the separating operation. Arms E maybe secured to each hub by a plate M sleeved over the reduced upper portion of the-.hub and bolted to the flanged portion L over the inner ends of the arms. rlhe flange L of each hub may7 if desired` be grooved to receive thev inner end of cach ari'ni and prevent it fro-m moving angularly with respect to said hub; but the particular manner or means ofl connecting the arms to the hubs is not of the essence ofV this invention and any suitable means for making` the connection may be adopted. It is intended that the separating arms E shall be secured to successive hubs L so that the arms projecting from one hub will be staggered with respect to the arms ofthe hub beneath it or over it. Any suitable' number of arms may bev used and any suitable nurnber of sets of hubs and armsv may be sleeved upon the shaft D, it being essential that there shall be enough armsout of registraivith the fixedsection when .the

Secured to each of the hubs L is advancing through said vstream thus searchj ing it thoroughly, entangling the silk and fibrous materials attached'to and mixed with the grains and moving them out of said stream. y

In order to thoroughly clear from the arms E the fibrous or other materials that have been removed from the stream, and which cling to said arms, without necessitating any cessation of the separating operation, I have provided a series of clearing and cleaning devices that automatically operate upon the arms after they have left the stream offood material and thoroughly clear and clean them before they again enter said stream; and the clearing and `cleaning devices are so positioned with respect to the orbit of the arms that the material clinging to the latter is removed from them and caused to drop at points removed from the stream of food where there will be no danger vof the separated particles reentering said stream.

I have shown a series of clearing and cleaning devices, suitable for the purpose. Each clearing and cleaning device comprises a bar F extending parallel with' the sides of the frame C and fingers F2 radiating from one end of said bar VF. One end ofeach bar F is secured to the frame by any suitable means, such asbolt G, which may be passed through the upper Vmember of the frame, through alined holes G inthe bosses F Aand into the lower member of the frame and the other end of eachbar F has an open-ing F3 which is adaptedv to lit over vthe reduced portion of the hub L. Although I have shown the fingers F as substantially straight they may be, if desired, curved in aV direction opposite the curvature of the separating arms E. That end of each cleaning device which contains the hole Gr is wider, measured parf allel with the shaft D, than the bar F and the fingers F 2, measured in the same direction, by a distance equal to the thickness of flange L of the hub L plus the clamping plate M so as to provide space between adjacent cleaning arms and fingers for the passage of the curved separating arms E. In practice it is proposed to secure to said arms rubber or other suitable flexible strips or pads (not shown) between which the fingers E may pass in close contact and which will yield to the pressure of said fingers whereby, as the fingers' pass between said cleaning arms, the'pads or strips will scrape or rub all material clinging to them off1 from the arms and cause it to drop into any suitable receptacle or to any place provided for dis# posal of the waste.v The lower member of frame C has its upper surface C2 preferably inclined downward Vand outward'to direct material falling on it away lfrom the'food stream.

In operation, corn or other likefood ma# terial is discharged from the cooker Vthrough the spout A and dropped in a stream to'the fillin mechanism (not shown). Previous to t e the shaft D will be started revolving inV a counter clockwise direction. The closely spaced separating arms E,staggered lwith respect to each other from top to bottom of the shaft, will pass transversely through and across the flowing stream, thoroughly search it and remove any silk or other fibrous material contained therein; said arms continuischarge of the corn from the cooker ing their rotation, having the silk and other waste material clinging to them, pass be# tween the first of the cleaning fingers F 2 and successively between the remaining fingers F2 and finally between bars F, by which they will be thoroughly cleared of all material clinging to them. VOwing to the curvature of said separating armsY E, tlieirvinl ner ends coming first in contact `with "the inner ends of the spaces between the cleaning fingers and bars, will be wiped or scraped toward their extremities so that ,any silk that may have been woundaroundthe arms will be stripped off from their extremities. vSo also said separating arms will be drawn obliquely and endwise between the final cleaning bars F and in continued rotation will be again moved, in clean and sanitary condition, into contact with the streamvof food material and will again collect therefrom the clinging particles of silkV and 'the like and repeat the operation. i 7

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure'by Letters Patent l. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous materials from edible portions of a flowing stream of corn or like material, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a plurality of slender superimposed arms radiatingno,l

therefrom and adapted to be moved rapidly VYcombination of a rotatable shaft, a plurality of sets of slender arms radiating from said shaft the arms of each set being staggeredv with respect to the arms of adjacent sets and adapted to be moved through said stream. Y

3. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from edible portions of a flowing stream of corn or like n'iaterial, the co-mbination of a frame, a shaft journaled therein, a plurality of superimposed hubs secured to said shaft, a plurality of slender separating arms radiating fromueacli hub, the arms radiating from one hub being in staggered relation to the arms radiating from an adj acent hub.

l. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from edible portions of a flo-wing stream of corn or like. material, .the combination of a frame, a. rotatable kshaft journaled. in said frame, a plurality of superimposed arms radiating from said shaft and adapted to be rotated thereby, and mechanical cleaning devices mounted in said frame, said cleaning devices ,being so disposed as to engage and clean the arms in that portion of their path of movement which is removed from the separating portion.

5. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions .of a flowing stream of corn or like material, the combination of a fra-me, a rotary vshaft mounted therein, aI plurality of slender superimposed arms radiating from said shaft,

Vand a. plurality of cleaning arms adapted to engage said slender arms obliq-uely and remove material clinging thereto.

`6. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions of a flowing stream of corn or like. material, the combination of a frame, a rotary shaft journaled therein, a plurality of se 1ies of slender separating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being substantially similarly curved, a plurality of cleaning arms also extending in a general radial direction from the axis of thev shaft, between which said. separating arms are adapted to be moved, and means for rotating said shaft with the convex sides: of the separating arms in ad# Vance.

7. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions of a flowing stream, of corn or like material, the combination of a frame, a rotary shaft journaled therein, a series of fianged hubs keyed to said shaft, a plurality of slender separa-ting arms secured to each hub, and a plurality of cleaning devices secured at one end in said frameI and having their other ends sleeved, respectively, over the reduced portions of said hubs.

S. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions of a Iflowing stream of corn or like material, the combination of a frame, a rotary shaft journaled therein, a plurality of slender separating arms radiating from the shaft, and a. plurality of sets of angularly spaced fixed .cleaning lingers extending radially with respect to the shaft at one side of said frame for cleaning said separating arms.

9. In mechanism for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions of a flowing stream of corn or like material, the y combination .of a. frame, a rotary shaft journaled therein, a plurality of flanged hubs secured `to said shaft, separating arms radiating from each hub, and a plurality. of cleaning devices secured to the frame at one end and having their other ends sleeved over said hubs, respectively, said cleaning devices having clearing fingers radiating therefrom at one side ofsaid frame between which the separating arms are adapted to pass.

l0. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a.y frame, a revoluble shaft mounted thereon, said shaft carrying radiating separating arms for separating inedible fibrous particles from the edible portions of a flowing stream of corn or like material, cleaning means for engaging and cleaning said arms comprising a member having an opening through which the shaft passes, fingers radiating from the opening, and a bar secured at. its end to the frame.

GEORGE G. SCHORER. 

